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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Be Where Your Feet Are summary
Scott O'Neil
Seven Principles to Keep You Present, Grounded, and Thriving
19 mins
What is Be Where Your Feet Are about?
Be Where Your Feet Are (2021) is the distillation of the wisdom that Scott O’Neill has accumulated over the years – as one of America's most successful sports executives, as a husband, and as a father. With advice ranging from failing productively to living in the moment, it presents a few simple tips designed to help you live a richer, happier, and more successful life.
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Be Where Your Feet Are
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Key idea 1 of 6
Be completely present, whatever you're doing.
Back in 2012, when the author lost his job as president of Madison Square Garden Sports, he was crushed. That position, running one of the world’s most famous arenas, had been the crowning achievement of his career. With his dismissal, it seemed he’d hit the lowest ebb.
So what was the author’s solution? Did he go straight back into work, to show the world that a very public firing wasn’t keeping him down? Well, he did consider this, but resisted the temptation.
Instead of carrying on with the hectic life of an industry leader, he chose to relax, unwind, and spend some quality time with his family. He now had the luxury of being much more present in the world.
The key message here is: Be completely present, whatever you're doing.
One of the great things about modern technology is that it allows us to do everything at once. Our phones empower us to order food, attend meetings, draft emails, and watch TV – wherever and whenever we want.
The upshot of this is convenience. We no longer have to drive to a video rental store and pick up a film on a Saturday evening: we can stream it online, straight away. The downside, however, is that we often forget to focus on what's right in front of us. Our life becomes frenetic, unhealthy.
Too many of us live in a constant haze of notifications, duties, and distractions these days. We pay partial attention to everything, and we focus completely on just about nothing.
Without the constraints of urgent emails and important calls, the author became a lot more aware of everything around him – and much more engaged in, well, living. After he lost his high-profile job, O’Neil took a two-and-a-half-week holiday with his wife and daughters. They traveled to Europe, visited London and Paris – and, for the first time in years, the author found himself giving his family undivided attention. This made him feel better than ever before.
After that well-deserved break, O’Neil did start a new job. But he made sure he’d never lose sight of the value of being fully present; of committing to the matter at hand, 100 percent.
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Who should read Be Where Your Feet Are?
- Anyone who wants to live a more focused life
- All-rounders interested in bettering themselves both at work and at home
- Ambitious movers and shakers who don’t want to sacrifice peace of mind for success
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